Despite a current downward trend in his young NBA career, the Lakers still have some belief in Dalton Knecht.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, LA has reportedly picked up the 2026-27 team option on Knecht.
The deadline to make the decision was Oct. 31. Knecht will make $4.2 million next season.
After starting his rookie campaign red hot, Knecht has certainly cooled off over the last nine months. A poor Summer League followed by an underwhelming preseason has his stock as low as it’s ever been.
Still, the highs were so high that it’s hard not to still be enticed by Knecht. At his best, Knecht is one of the best shooters in the league, capable of getting red hot and turning a game all by himself. He did just that in multiple contests last season, memorably against the Grizzlies and Jazz.
However, his defensive shortcomings and one-dimensional offensive approach also meant he found it hard to stay on the court at times last season. After averaging 22.6 minutes per game through the first 32 games of his rookie season, Knecht fell out of the rotation in the second half of the year and averaged just 16.7 minutes over his final 46 games.
Obviously, the rescinded trade to Charlotte also played a role in derailing things a bit as well. But things were already heading in the wrong direction before the trade was initially completed.
Despite all that, it’s a smart risk for the Lakers to make. If nothing else, it shows the franchise still believes in him. It’s not a given that they would simply pick up the option as they turned down Jalen Hood-Schifino’s team option just last season in the same scenario.
At $4.2 million, it’s a relatively small gamble, at least in NBA terms, that Knecht can find his way this season. If it doesn’t work out, the team will have the exact same decision to make this time next year for the final year of his deal or could even look to trade him in the offseason and place that burden on another franchise.
For now, though, the good was so good during his rookie campaign that the Lakers are hopeful that can help Knecht find that form once again.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on BlueSky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
